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Safe and Sustainable Food Systems for People, Planet, and Climate

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Global Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2023) | Viewed by 4574

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences (DeFENS), Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
Interests: nutrition; diets; sustainability; food labeling; food quality; cereals; antioxidants; phenolic; antioxidant activity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The COVID-19 pandemic, along with numerous other public health issues such as antimicrobial resistance, climate change and desertification, are highlighting the urgency of a robust and resilient food system able to ensure equitable, safe and sufficient food for both humans and animals, while limiting the impact on the planet. These public health challenges have raised awareness of the strong interaction between human health, ecosystems, supply chains, dietary patterns and planetary boundaries, calling for a sustainable food chain that combines environmental, animal, societal and human health. In this context, the Farm to Fork strategy emphasizes the sustainability of food system as a trait d’union between a sustainable food environment and sustainable diets. Sustainable diets able to improve (or guarantee) human health, planet health, while reducing health costs for the entire society.

In order to foster the transition outlined in the Farm to Fork strategy to generate tangible changes in people’s food choices, new agricultural, food and health policies, as well as strategic actions and citizen education campaigns, become of paramount importance.

The aim of this Special Issue is to collect scientific studies (both original manuscripts and reviews), focusing on the strict link between the food system and human and planet health, including but not limited to those on good food sustainability practices and evidence on educational campaigns, the effectiveness of health policies and their impacts on health, environmental, ethical, social and economic aspects. 

Special attention will be paid to original research (including meta-analyses). Studies do not necessarily have to offer ‘positive results’ (i.e., results that confirm previous literature). Rigorous work in which conclusions offer novelties that present exceptions to previous studies is also welcome.

Dr. Vincenza Gianfredi
Dr. Monica Dinu
Dr. Daniela Martini
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sustainability
  • dietary patterns
  • human health
  • planet health
  • ecosystems
  • supply chains
  • food behavior
  • food choice
  • food
  • nutritive value

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 2117 KiB  
Article
Back to Locality? Demand Potential Analysis for Short Food Supply Chains
by Krzysztof Solarz, Magdalena Raftowicz, Marian Kachniarz and Agnieszka Dradrach
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(4), 3641; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043641 - 18 Feb 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1807
Abstract
The main purpose of the article is an attempt to estimate the demand for products traded within short food supply chains in Poland. The survey was conducted in autumn 2021 in the Kamienna Góra county, where the first business incubator in Poland, addressed [...] Read more.
The main purpose of the article is an attempt to estimate the demand for products traded within short food supply chains in Poland. The survey was conducted in autumn 2021 in the Kamienna Góra county, where the first business incubator in Poland, addressed to farmers and food producers, initiated and supported by the local government, is located. The Computer-Assisted Web Interview (CAWI) method constituted the basis for the process of collecting research material. The channel for reaching respondents was the LIBRUS application and local social media. Responses were mainly given by women, people with incomes in the range of PLN 1000–3000 per person, those aged 30–50, and those with a university education. The research results showed a high level of potential demand for local agri-food products, which should encourage farmers to switch from long to short supply chain models. The persisting low awareness regarding the existence of alternative distribution networks for local products, which primarily requires increased activities in the field of territorial marketing that promote local agri-food products among the residents of municipalities constitutes, from the perspective of consumers, a barrier to the development of short food supply chains. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Safe and Sustainable Food Systems for People, Planet, and Climate)
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15 pages, 358 KiB  
Article
Community Stakeholders’ Perceptions on Barriers and Facilitators to Food Security of Families with Children under Three Years before and during COVID-19
by Elder Garcia Varela, Jamie Zeldman and Amy R. Mobley
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(17), 10642; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191710642 - 26 Aug 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2251
Abstract
Children living in food-insecure households have poorer overall health than children in food-secure households. While U.S. nutrition assistance programs provide resources, these cannot consistently offer age-appropriate nutritional foods for young children. This study aimed to determine community stakeholders’ perceptions of the barriers and [...] Read more.
Children living in food-insecure households have poorer overall health than children in food-secure households. While U.S. nutrition assistance programs provide resources, these cannot consistently offer age-appropriate nutritional foods for young children. This study aimed to determine community stakeholders’ perceptions of the barriers and facilitators to obtaining adequate, high-quality, and age-appropriate foods for children ages 0–3 in Florida before and during COVID-19. Community stakeholders (n = 32) participated in a 60 min interview via Zoom using a semi-structured script based on the PRECEDE component of the PRECEDE–PROCEED model. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded by two researchers using a thematic analysis approach. Stakeholders’ perceptions revealed a lack of awareness surrounding eligibility for assistance programs, a lack of knowledge regarding how to obtain resources and services, and stigma associated with receiving benefits. These remained significant barriers to obtaining healthful foods for households with young children before and during COVID-19. Nonetheless, barriers were exacerbated during the pandemic. Unemployment rates rose, intensifying these households’ financial hardships and food insecurity levels. Likewise, stakeholders suggested the need for families to become more aware of federal assistance eligibility requirements and available opportunities via social media and referrals. Identifying risk factors associated with food insecurity can inform future interventions to safeguard young children’s health and well-being. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Safe and Sustainable Food Systems for People, Planet, and Climate)
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